Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iMac won't wake up from sleep using keyboard or mouse

I'm not sure what is happening but as of today neither of my wireless devices will wake the iMac - no problem use keyboard and mouse once the iMac is awake. Yesterday I had problems with the wireless keyboard disappearing from Bluetooth.
Now I have to press the power button if the iMac goes to sleep and even then it is a bit slow to respond. It is real pain in the face. What is the remedy anyone?

iMac 21.5 inch, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Nov 5, 2009 7:38 AM

Reply
573 replies

Jan 10, 2010 8:01 AM in response to Jon Israel

I'm having the same problem, which just started. it won't wake up from my keyboard or my wireless mouse. I then attached a wired mouse and tried that but it won't work. It won't even work if I press the power button in the back briefly. I have to hold the power button down for a good 5 seconds to turn it off, then re-start it.

Jan 10, 2010 8:08 AM in response to Jon Israel

Put me down for a me-too. The option to wake up by bluetooth devices is grayed out and I have to turn the computer on and off. My "solution" has been to set the computer not to go to sleep. As I'm not anywhere near the Apple Store where I bought this, I would love to have a solution that doesn't require two three-hour round trip drives (one to drop it off, one to pick it up).

Feb 2, 2010 3:07 PM in response to Sascha H-K

I too have have this issue with my 21.5 iMac. I don't have a true fix, but after a month I found a 100% reliable way of getting the system to wake from sleep.

This assumes the computer is already asleep at the start of my procedure and that in the prefs panel you allow the computer to be PUT TO SLEEP with the power button...

1) Click keyboard or mouse to wake computer from sleep. Nothing happens but actually the computer HAS woken up, just not the screen... sorta. In fact if you move less than an inch away from the screen and look at various angles you might see the almost imperceptible hint of what is on the screen.

2) Momentarily press the power button. This will put the computer BACK to sleep.

3) Wait about 10 seconds for the computer to return to sleep.

4) Press the keyboard again, this time the computer will wake normally.

Why this works, or what is happening I certainly don't know. I have reset PRAM, Video card etc. with the apple procedures but it doesn't help. Hopefully a software update fixes this full in the future but this certain makes the computer "useable" again for me.

Feb 3, 2010 8:14 PM in response to canyonblue

I have the same problem with my imac quad i7 27" . I have a wired keyboard and the wireles magic mouse (the new mouse).
The problem is intermittent. I never normally turn off my machine and usually just walk away from it and when I come back, if I'm lucky, I wake it by moving the mouse or hitting the escape key on the keyboard.
If it is having a bad day it doesn't wake and I have to hold down the start button until I hear it click off (about 6 seconds) and then start it normally.
Strange thing is it is not related to any time frame. It can wake from sleep after a day or a couple of hours then same conditions and it doesn't wake.
Have tried to wake using the power button (have it set to wake from power button) and it never works when the mouse or keyboard doesn't work.
The replies posted here don't provide any comfort that a lasting solution has been found. There is also a thread on Macrumors that deals with the same issue. No joy from that thread either.
Is there somehwere else I can turn. Iam located in Brisbane Australia.
cheers

Feb 4, 2010 8:39 PM in response to Fernbergjim

I have the same problem, although it only seems to happen when I choose sleep from the apple menu, and even then only when it is left sleeping overnight. Fernbergjim, can you tell me where you set your computer to wake with the power button? All I have been able to find is "Sleep Computer with Power Button" on the Energy Saver pref pane.

I am on my second iMac. I returned the first one with screen problems and they replaced it, but it is a pain in the ***. A round trip takes me about five hours and two ferries. I hope this is a software issue.

Message was edited by: makloklin

iMac won't wake up from sleep using keyboard or mouse

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.